Offered here is the personal revolver of FBI Special Agent Robert Wallace Clark (1917-1998). His name is inscribed on the side plate: "ROBERT W. CLARK." The revolver features the very scarce and highly desirable two-tone blue and nickel "Pinto" finish with the barrel and cylinder a polished nickel and the frame a deep polished blue. "23" is stamped on the back of both grip panels. Matching serial numbers are on the butt, cylinder and barrel. The included factory letter confirms the 2 inch barrel, two-tone blue/nickel finish, smooth rosewood grips and FBI Agent "Robert W. Clark" engraving as well as being shipped on December 16, 1954 and delivered to Robert Clark, Springfield, MA, "one of the local FBI agents assigned to the Springfield area. Accompanying this revolver are over 1,000 pages of official FBI documents pertaining to Robert Wallace Clark’s career with the Bureau. This is the most extensive personnel file this writer has cataloged, and the wealth of information spotlights an impressive glimpse into Clark’s FBI career that spanned from 1941 until his retirement in 1976 (35 years and 3 weeks of service). Some of the documents are redacted, giving the sense that they still hold sensitive material after all of these years. The file begins with Clark’s initial application and employment with the FBI. The early documents are associated with the standard “extensive and complete character and fitness investigation” such as interviews with known acquaintances, medical examines, acceptance of employment letter, internal employment notices, and oath of office declaration. In March 1941 he was officially appointed a “messenger” at the FBI field office in Boston with a salary of $1,200 per year. Within a few months Clark was promoted to junior clerk-typist and his annual salary rose to $1,440. His supervisor at the time considered Clark “to be far above the average of male clerical employees in the Bureau,” and was “of the opinion that [Clark] is qualified…to become a Special Agent.” In 1942 Clark was appointed a Special Agent at the FBI field office in Louisville, Kentucky, with a yearly salary of $3,200. Official FBI records such as annual performance reviews, correspondence, memos and medical examines document his training and field office assignments in Louisville (April 1942), Philadelphia (July 1942), New York (1945), Boston (1946) where he became the senior resident agent at Springfield and Jacksonville, Florida (1960) where he became the senior resident agent at Tallahassee, a position he held until he retired in 1976. By all accounts Clark was an “excellent,” “loyal,” “sharp minded” special agent who “created a splendid impression as a Bureau representative,” “was capable of handling all types of complicated investigative matters” and was “well suited to conducting raids and dangerous assignments of all types.” His years at the FBI were spent investigating general criminal activity (bank robberies, check fraud, kidnapping, interstate theft, theft of government property, etc.), establishing and maintaining lines of communication with federal, state and local law enforcement, assisting in police training programs and performing the duties of an “expert firearms instructor.” Clark, “a thoroughly experienced Special Agent and…excellently qualified for his position as Senior Resident Agent,” exemplified the FBI’s “Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity” motto.

Excellent overall, retaining 99% plus original nickel and blue finishes with a cylinder drag line and some minor handling marks. 99% plus of the original case colors remain on the hammer and trigger. Mechanically excellent. A high condition, highly desirable pinto Pre-Model 34 connected to an FBI Special Agent that will bring added dimension to any S&W or law enforcement collection.